The compulsive gambling of Michael Jordan was once made public knowledge following the murder of one of his accomplices. The gambling disorder of Jordan was the talk of the town in the 1990s.
Advertisement
Having solidified himself as the face of the NBA for the decade to come, His Airness’ lifestyle was no longer private, to say the least. Everybody wanted a piece of Michael Jordan and his personal extravaganzas.
Despite his adroitness in basketball which emphasized his athleticism and scoring prowess, it wasn’t sufficient for the media. They attempted as much as they could to hone into his personal life and at long last, the media stood tall as they always do.
When they did, they were provided with a glaring insight into his love for gambling, which they truly relished and pounced upon to portray Jordan in a bad light. Things got worse for the NBA Hall of Famer when the media got ahold of his gambling disorder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxN3ODapxxw
It amplified when news of a murder involving a bail bondsman named Eddie Dow broke out, as the murder indicated ties between Dow and Jordan, with relation to his gambling debts to the former.
Michael Jordan owed over $100,000 to a bail bondsman who was murdered
A book by Roland Lazenby named ‘Michael Jordan: The Life’ in 2014 outlined the gambling disorder of Jordan. In fact, it got to a point where the six-time NBA champion was involved in a murder robbery case.
In February of 1992, a bail bondsman named Eddie Dow was murdered in a robbery at his home. The thieves stole an estimated $20000 from a metal briefcase that was lying about in the household. Furthermore, they came across multiple checks which totaled a staggering $108,000. However, having done their due diligence they opted not to steal that as it was given to Dow by Michael Jordan himself.
In the book, Lazenby stated:
“Thieves took $20,000 in cash from a metal briefcase on the premises but left three checks worth $108,000 written by Jordan. The lawyer handling Dow’s estate confirmed that the checks were for gambling debts owed by Jordan to a North Carolina contractor named Dean Chapman and two other men.”
The investigation further disclosed that Jordan often held certain gatherings which included his mates from golfing and gambling. The get-together would take place at his Hilton Island residence. Dow’s murder discloses he had been to at least three such events.
Lazenby also said: “Dow had been to at least three such gatherings, according to his attorney. Jordan was also known to host Mike’s Time, a gathering for golf and high-stakes poker before training camp each season.”
Quite the scandal to be involved in for a high-profile celebrity. Sure enough, his reputation took a dive, and his name was besmirched. Nonetheless, Jordan’s rampant displays on the court overshadowed his antics outside the court.
Michael Jordan’s gambling addiction almost caused the Chicago Bulls a championship
Although the aforementioned incident occurred in February of 1992, Jordan successfully guided the Bulls to their second championship in franchise history. Suffice it to say, the wagering antics didn’t come to a halt. In fact, it was magnified.
The very next year, Jordan was the subject of yet another scandal, when he decided to take a little excursion to the casinos of Atlantic City. The principal reason this became a scandal was due to the magnitude of the circumstance. It was during the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jordan was chastised by the media, in spite of the defense from his father, James Jordan. James was the one who encouraged him to take the trip. MJ had to defend himself to the city of Chicago in the aftermath of the incident.
Although, the five-time NBA MVP showcased that it had no effect on his displays as he enabled the Bulls to cruise to the NBA Finals. Whereby they eventually captured their third championship and his first three-peat. A time-defining moment in history.
